WATCH: Sea Lion Rescued in SF, Brought to Marine Mammal Center

“Rubbish” the sea lion was rescued in San Francisco on April 30, 2015 and taken to the Marine Mammal Center in Marin County. Images, video courtesy of The Marine Mammal Center.

--

A wayward sea lion was found in San Francisco’s Marina District Thursday morning– hiding under a car, of all places, according to Marine Mammal Center officials.

Marine Mammal Center and San Francisco Animal Care and Control officials said members of the public reported the sea lion was hiding under a car, around 6:30 a.m. Police officers assisted in keeping the animal out of harm’s way until animal rescuers from the center arrived.

At about 7 a.m., the sea lion was rescued, put in a carrier and taken back to the Marine Mammal Center for assessment, center officials said.

Marine Mammal Center officials said the male California sea lion’s name is Rubbish and that the animal had received treatment at the center in the past after being rescued by the Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center on Feb. 8.

Rubbish had weighed just 30 pounds and was eight months old when he was rescued in February. He was released back into the wild on March 23 at Point Reyes National Seashore after gaining 17 pounds, center officials said.

“After spending 5 weeks on his own, Rubbish lost 17 pounds,” the center said after rescuing Rubbish on Thursday. “Veterinary staff will do an exam to see if he has any underlying issues to cause him to restrand. On average, fewer than 20 rehabilitated animals treated at The Marine Mammal Center restrand each year.”

Patch is told that the center hopes to release Rubbish again within the next few weeks. So far, they haven’t noticed any signs that he’s too used to humans to survive on his own.

Marine Mammal Center officials said Rubbish is one of thousands of California sea lion pups that have stranded along the California coast this year as a result of warm waters that have affected food availability.

“In the first four months of 2015, we have rescued more animals than we rescued during the entirety of 2014,” officials said. “This includes northern elephant seal and Pacific harbor seal pups, which are arriving in numbers that are normal for the season at this point.”

Anyone who sees a sick or injured marine mammal is asked to call the center at (415) 289-SEAL.

RELATED ON PATCH:

• ‘Extremely Emaciated and Thin’ Baby Sea Lions Popping Up on Calif. Coast
• Watch as Rescued Sea Lion Pups Are Released at Point Reyes National Seashore